Columbia police investigate two armed robberies

Columbia police are investigating two armed robberies that occurred in central Columbia early Wednesday morning.

A 19-year-old man was robbed about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday near Woodlawn and Hickman avenues, according to a news release from the Columbia Police Department.

The man was walking north on Woodlawn Avenue when three males approached him and showed him a handgun. The suspects demanded he empty his pockets and then left with the man’s wallet, police said.

The victim saw two of the suspects near Providence Road while he was being transported to Columbia police headquarters. Three people were taken into custody during the investigation but not arrested, the release stated.

The second robbery occurred at 1:15 a.m. Wednesday on Paris Road near the Business Loop 70 overpass.

The victim, a 17-year-old man, was walking south on Paris Road when two males approached him. The first suspect demanded all of his personal property and produced a handgun, while the second suspect emptied the man’s pants pockets, police said.

Police described the suspect in that robbery as a 17- or 18-year-old man, 5-foot-11, with a medium build and dark complexion. He was last seen wearing a red baseball-style cap, a gray hooded sweatshirt and white pants. There is no description of the second suspect.

Sgt. Will Greene said he did not know whether the two robberies were related.